Took the 240D to work yesterday, and then to the Dr. Who movie. About 2.5 hours of night time driving total, with no 'daytime' as I come in to work before light and leave at dark in this season.

I'm running high wattage H4s, and a modern stereo/amp....bout 3/4s of the way home when I switched from low to high beam the radio turned off....then came back on. Figgered I'm overdriving the poor little 55a alt, so I shut off the cabin fan, radio....by the time I was getting to the driveway the lights were pretty feeble.

Alt light didn't come on, but it comes on for test. I've got three junker 88-91 Saab 9000 turbo's here. One definitely has the 115amp alt, I know because I just replaced it about 8 months ago. Just recently took the car off the road due to rust but the running gear is fine. Guess that's my 'other' Thanksgiving holiday project...pull alt, make up some heavy wiring, and put in the 240D. At least Saab alternators are easy pulls.

I might pull the other two out while I've got the proper tools at hand and put one in the 300CD as well. I'm sure the 65a isn't happy with the H4 high output's either, although it has made many runs without a problem...10amps may be the difference.

__________________
Eric, CPO, Submarines, retired.
Here's a sig line...
Mine: '68 Corvette LS1/4L65E, 83 240D, 2000 GMC 4x4, 08 FLSTC Anniv
Hers: '72 Corvette 454/4spd, '99 MB SLK, '93 Metro vert, 78 240D, '92 Silverado, '65 Fjord Rustang, '59 Fjord Fairlane, '17 Slingshot.

Is this the original alternator on your 240D?

It may be the rectifier diodes were on their last legs. Did you do any voltage checks? both AC and DC?

__________________
Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

Nope...didn't. Running 65/100 H4s, and 55w fogs, and had everything on for a good bit. Kinda just figured it's a good time to swap in the higher output alt from the saab. 55A is less than my motorcycle....

__________________
Eric, CPO, Submarines, retired.
Here's a sig line...
Mine: '68 Corvette LS1/4L65E, 83 240D, 2000 GMC 4x4, 08 FLSTC Anniv
Hers: '72 Corvette 454/4spd, '99 MB SLK, '93 Metro vert, 78 240D, '92 Silverado, '65 Fjord Rustang, '59 Fjord Fairlane, '17 Slingshot.

Swapped the alternator out of a newly declared parts saab 9000 turbo today into the 240D.

(edit, never mind, saw a better picture)

A quick bit of rewiring and all is good. 115amp alt in the 240D and even at idle it's doing 13.7 with the high beams on, fans at full, and stereo/amp engaged. Rev the engine and it's up to 14, or turn the lights off and it idles at 14. I'd say I'm fixed for winter.

Now I've got to go molest another one of the saabs and do the same thing for the CD.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
Eric, CPO, Submarines, retired.
Here's a sig line...
Mine: '68 Corvette LS1/4L65E, 83 240D, 2000 GMC 4x4, 08 FLSTC Anniv
Hers: '72 Corvette 454/4spd, '99 MB SLK, '93 Metro vert, 78 240D, '92 Silverado, '65 Fjord Rustang, '59 Fjord Fairlane, '17 Slingshot.